KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Malaysians stranded by the abrupt closure of a tour agency in Singapore were today urged by a citizens’ group to consider carpooling in order to get home for the Chinese New Year holidays.

Expressing its sympathy for the distress experienced by Malaysian workers and students in Singapore over the shock closure of the Five Star Tours travel firm this week, the Malaysians in Singapore (MiS) group urged those hit by the disruption to consider participating in the vehicle-sharing scheme it was organising.

“MiS had earlier set up an online carpooling matching service for those who need to travel between Singapore and Malaysia during the CNY period. Those affected by the closure of FST may want to consider this option of transport,” it said in a statement today.

The group also sought for Singaporean authorities to investigate the travel firm for possible wrongdoing over the unannounced closure, pointing out that it had sold advance tickets for Chinese New Year as far back as last October.

“The fees collected from the reservations are very significant. The lack of communication from FST is irresponsible and causes much uncertainty among passengers. 

“MiS urges the authorities to probe the scale of passengers’ financial losses and any possibility of criminal misconduct on the part of FST,” it added.

On Thursday Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that thousands of travellers have been left stranded for the coming lunar new year break after the tour agency shuttered operations abruptly.

The report estimated that some 3,000 passengers including Singaporeans and Malaysians have lost their bus seats for the busy travel period at the end of this month.

The directors of Five Star Tours have since become incommunicado, even as allegations of unpaid staff wages and contributions as well as creditors continue to amass.